Understanding landscape structure and dynamics measured at high resolution from aircraft observations

Vegetation and soil change over a wide range of spatial and temporal
scales in response to environmental and seasonal conditions, making it
challenging to interpret responses to forcing factors and predict future
conditions from field observations. Satellites provide synoptic views
and potential to make repeat observations from a consistent measurement
basis, yet the limited spatial and spectral resolutions of today’s
satellite instruments, combined with their inflexible overpass schedules
create complexities for scaling information from ground measurements and
often limit the use of satellite data for ecological studies. Numerous
high spatial and spectral resolution instruments are available for
aircraft observations, providing alternative data types and timing to
match research needs. High fidelity imaging spectroscopy, measuring the
reflected visible and solar infrared, and small footprint lidar,
capturing the three-dimensional canopy structure, are two new
technologies that provide essential information needed to characterize
landscape dynamics. This presentation will discuss the types of
landscape information that are measurable using these instruments and
examine how ecosystem functions related to biogeochemical cycling and
landscape dynamics can be quantified.